SV Comfortably Numb Blog

CN arrives in Ft. Lauderdale

art — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:38:44 +0000

CN made it to Ft. Lauderdale by Nov 18th after leaving Norfolk on 11/4….just ahead of all the rain and flooding. The outside route was taken all the way down…it’s what boats with 65′ masts have to do. Stops were in Charleston for fuel/showers, Cape Canaveral for fuel and to wait out Ida, Riviera Beach (Cracker Boy) for haul-out, bottom paint and an insurance survey. The day before getting Canaveral was very windy and 15′ seas as the high in the Bahamas dumped air into Ida

All told it took 8 sea days from Norfolk to Ft. Lauderdale. Six days for Norfolk to Canaveral, overnight from Canaveral to Riviera Beach and a daysail for Riviera Beach to Ft. Lauderdale. A mix of friends and paid crew were onboard keeping the crew at 4 for all the passages going overnight and two for daysails. Special thanks to Rob Lee, CJ. Ed Gray, Rabbit, Gray Twombly and Alex Buckingham for making the trip safe, enjoyable and without major mishap.

CN is now available for charters to the Keys and Bahamas and will likely spend much of the time in the Eleuthera and Exuma. See www.svcomfortablynumb.com for more information on CN and lots of pictures

Into Florida waters

art — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:13:47 +0000

CN passed into FL waters this morning after the brief stop in Charleston for fuel, showers and hot chocolate. The light airs of the past day or so have been replaced by 15-25 kt winds on the port beam as CN pushes south toward Palm Beach. An eye is being kept on the progress and development of Hurricane Ida (http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200911.html), whose projected path is far to the west of CN. The hurricane will supply plenty of wind indirectly as the high pressure over the Atlantic pours into the low pressure center of the hurricane. If weather concerns dictate CN will put into one of the ports along the route…either Port Canaveral or Ft. Pierce. Otherwise progress at the current 7.5 kts will have CN arriving at Cracker Boy Boat Works (http://crackerboyboatworks.com/rbhomeposs.html) near Palm Palm Beach late Monday or early Tuesday for haulout.

Stop-over in Charleston

art — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:43:46 +0000

Everyone was in great spirits after a windy night with seas that kept the horizon from view. Winds were around 30 kts but sailing with double reefed main and staysail was fine, averaging 7.5 knots with the boat stable and comfortable. Temperatures at sea have been much warmer than on land where near freezing conditions have been reported.

The wind is forecast to lighten considerably in the next few days and the crew has decided to put into Charleston for fuel and a night’s rest.
Occasionally the crew forgets to push the button on the satellite GPS and the every 4 hr position does not appear on the chart. So don’t worry if a report is missed. Satellite phone calls to land base are made each day at noon to report status and discuss weather and latest plans.

Transit passage from Norfolk, Va to winter location on Florida’s East Coast.

art — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:21:48 +0000

SV Comfortably Numb is on a transit passage from Norfolk, Va to winter location on Florida’s East Coast. CN will be located in FL for charters to the Keys, Bahamas and beyond.

Onboard are a crew of four experienced sailors, heavily dressed for the cold weather start but with shorts for the warm weather destination. Depending on weather developments they will either pass inshore of the Gulf Stream, along the US Coast or cross through the Gulf Stream and sail down it’s eastern side to cross again near the Bahamas. The fall season brings rapid, and sometimes violent, changes in weather as strong cold fronts move down from Canada and encounter the warm waters of the Gulf Stream.

Wednesday start was in clear cool skies with moderate winds. Daytime temperatures in the low 60’s will drop to the 40’s overnight. for the first few nights. Winds are due to strengthen and turn to a more favorable direction.